Toy blackboard easel



June 21, 1960 J. F. MC1-EAR 2,941,774 Toy BLACKBOARD EASEL Filed Nov. 5,1957 /ff ff '3y M754/ au Unite states Patent O 2,941,774.l TOY BLACMARDRASEE.

James Fraser McTear, Eastbourne, England (42A Commercial Road,Eastbourne, Sussex, England) File-:i Nov. 5, 1957, Ser. No. 694,567Claims. (Cl. 24S- 197) This invention relates to toys, and moreparticularly to toy blackboards and easels.

A blackboard and easel in miniature size is a common form of rtoy forchildren, particularly young ones learning to read and write. With theusual form of easel consisting of two front legs and one rear leg allinclining inwardly and pivoted together at the top, the normal method ofsupporting the blackboard is to rest it on a pair of pins or ahorizontal ledge on the front legs, the blackboard then remaining inposition by virtue of leaning back against the easel at a slight angleto the vertical. With such a construction, any slight impact with theblackboard or easel, or even the mere act of writing or drawing on theblackboard, may cause it to rock forwardly and then fall from itssupport. Where the blackboard is made of slate, this may result inbreakage.

it is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide animproved construction of easel with which the blackboard is firmly heldin position when the easel is erected.

According to the present invention, an easel particularly suited for useas a toy includes a forward leg structure having a support for ablackboard, a rearward leg structure movable between stowed and splayedpositions with respect to the forward leg structure, and locking meansfor retaining the blackboard on the forward leg structure and arrangedto be brought into locking position when the rear leg structure issplayed.

The blackboard may merely rest on the support, such as a projection onthe forward leg structure, e.g. a pair of pegs or a simple rail thereon,but preferably is seated in a recessed projection or rail having a lippreventing movement of a lower edge of the blackboard away from theforward leg structure.

In a convenient construction a locking abutment is carried on the rearleg structure in such a position as to be moved towards the supportingprojection carrying the blackboard, when the rear leg structure is movedtowards the splayed position. By way of example, the rear leg structuremay be carried on a transverse pivot pin and have an extension beyondsaid pin bearing a forwardly directed tenon adapted to bear against theupper edge of the blackboard in locking position.

In order that the nature of the invention may be more readilyunderstood, an embodiment thereof is hereinafter particularly describedwith reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the blackboard and easel in stowed(unlocked) position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the blackboard and easel in splayed(locked) position.

In these figures, the easel consists of a pair of front legs 1 and 2inclined towards each other and secured together by a crossbar 3 at anintermediate point and a transverse pivot pin 4 near the top end.Between the legs 1 and 2, a rear leg S is carried on the pivot pin 4 andhas a small upward'extension 6. The crossbar 3 is recessed at its rearface, as at 7, to receive in said recess the lower edge of a blackboard8. At the upper end of the rear leg S, on the extension 6, is mounted aknob 9 which in the stowed or flat position of Fig. 1 is clear of theblackboard, but in the splayed erect position of Fig. 2 has movedforwardly and downwardly to engage against the upper edge of theblackboard and hold the same firmly sealed in the recess and secureagainst dslodgment.

With such a construction the blackboard is placed upon the supportingprojection of the front leg structure with the front and rear legstructures folded ush together in the stowed position, whereaftermovement outward of the rear leg structure to the usual splayed erectedposimeans to engage with and retain in position and secure againstvibration and dislodgment due to accidental knocking.

I claim:

l. An easel including a blackboard, aforward leg structure having aprojecting support for a blackboard, said rearward leg structure pivotedto said forward leg structure and movable between stowed and splayedpositions with respect to the forward leg structure, and locking meansfor retaining the blackboard on the forward leg comprising a knob on theupper end of said rearward leg structure and extending forwardly of saidblackboard and overlying said blackboard.

2. An easel as claimed in claim 1 in which the support on the forwardleg structure includes said projection in the form of a transverse railupon which a blackboard may rest.

3. An easel as claimed in claim 2 in which 'the transverse rail isrecessed to provide a lip upon the upper edge thereof remote from theforward leg structure to restrain the lower edge of a blackboard seatedon the rail from movement away from the forward leg structure.

4. An easel as claimed in claim 1 in which the rear leg structure ispivoted to the forward leg structure upon a transverse pivot pin engagedin said forward leg structure inwardly from the uppermost ends of saidleg structure.

5. An easel including a blackboard, a forward leg structure, a recessedrail extending transversely of the forward leg structure to provide asupport for said blackboard, a rearward leg structure pivotally attachedto said forward leg structure and movable between stowed and splayedpositions with respect to the forward leg snucture, a tenon carried uponthe upper end of the rearward leg structure beyond the pivotal mountingthereof and extending forwardly thereof above said blackboard, saidtenon bearing against the upper edge of a blackboard carried vupon saidsupport therefor when the rearward leg structure is splayed to locatethe blackboard in position relative to the easel and to limit the degreeof splay of the rearward leg structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

